The insomniac’s guide to snacking

If you love staying up late as much as we do, you’re probably going to get hungry at some point. Everybody knows there aren’t too many places that stay open all through the night, right? Wrong. Not only are there several restaurants open for dine-in and takeaway, some of them make really good food. Calling all midnight-oil-burners and late-night-snackers. Here is your essential guide to restaurants that are open 24 hours. Keep it safe because you are going to need it. We’ve picked our favourite 15!

Bombay chowpattyIt is a bit odd to eat Indian street food late at night, but we can’t deny it is addictive. Not all their outlets are open 24 hours, so you will have to head over to the one on Old Airport Road. They have a massive variety of street food right from chola batura and dahi batata puri to dhoklas and pav bhaji. You don’t have to understand what they mean, you just have to take a leap of faith and order a piping hot pav bhaji at 3am. Thank us later. Old Airport area, next to Family Food Centre (4462 2100).

TajeenThey’re open throughout the night, but, of course, you won’t get the most delicious tasting pastilla at 3.45am. Ordering a standard chicken tajine and Moroccan tea should do you good. They’ve recently refurbished their interiors and the place isn’t dingy anymore. It’s very, very Moroccan and more suitable for dining now. We like that. Souq Waqif (4477 4273).

Bagel Bar Coffee HouseThis has to be one of the top (if not the top) 24-hour spots in Doha. Comfortable indoor seating, cosy outdoor seating and consistently fantastic bagels. It isn’t just their extensive variety, it is the quality and taste as well. We can’t stop thinking about their Cajun chicken bagel. They also have a good selection of hot and cold beverages, so if you are thinking late night lattes, you know where to go. The Residence Tower, Dafna (4476 3686).

Jar Al QamrOne thing springs to mind immediately when we hear Jar Al Qamr – their French coffee. It’s not the kind you are thinking, and we are not sure why they call this coffee French, but it tastes fantastic. They do a decent selection of grills, and if you get here before 2am, you will get to dine upstairs where all the comfy couches are. Valet parking available. Near Sunlife Pharmacy, Al Sadd (4427 7770).

Baba ChapateaThese guys are life-savers. They come right to your car with the best, and we mean the best, selection of parathas ever. Go all out, order two, or seven. The parathas are priced at an average of QR5 and the must-try ones are egg and cheese, cheese and chips (we just gave away this secret as a token of our appreciation), chicken chili and kheema. Their Wakra outlet also has a dine-in area but all others are just takeaway. Extra points for the karak here; avoid the coffees. Al Wakrah (4463 1765), Abu Hamour (3098 3573), Muaither (4421 5674), Old Airport (4479 3845).

Tea TimeWe are not listing this place because they obviously do good tea. There are hidden food secrets (read: amazing desserts) here and we haven’t fully decided if we are letting them out. They have a huge selection of sandwiches that are reasonably priced and are exactly what you crave at 3am. Ask them for their menu, because if you ask what they have, they only mention their cafeteria-style sandwiches. And because we are really nice, we’re telling you the secret. They have the most amazing chocolate soufflé, served hot, for only QR6. If you are greedy, try the Lotus. You’re welcome.All outlets.

Falafel Al AkawiFoodies claim this is the best falafel in Doha. They also don’t spoil you by coming to your car, so yes, it is one of those places you have to park and walk up to the restaurant to place your order. As disappointing as that sounds, the falafel is easily one of the best in the city. They do have a couple of other items on the menu, but we always prefer the classic here. Fereej Bin Mahmoud (4465 0660).

Jabal LebnanYou can’t dine in here, unless you are exactly one person, willing to sit in the corner near the fridge. Their spicy chicken shawarma is one of the best in Doha and no matter what time you go, it always tastes consistent. They have good grills and a kashkawan you can’t leave without ordering. Parking during peak hours is an issue here, but this article is meant for the late-nighters, after all. Al Nasr (4442 1704).

Mutabbaq and SajWatch them work their magic on massive flatbreads filled with goodness. They have lots of options but we love the chicken and cheese version, and the plain cheese, of course. Then there is Nutella, but we don’t really need to recommend this one, do we? It is only takeaway, but they have locations all around Qatar, so just drive up to your nearest one for some tasty stuffed saj. Abu Hamour (4466 4800), Al Aziziyah (4427 9097), Al Sadd (4466 4500), Muaither (4447 9900), Old Airport (4444 7600), Wakrah (4444 6700).

Grand JoudThis place can get rather smoky inside due to the shisha, but if you are okay with that, there is some really good Arabic food served here. They also have some of the best and most authentic mansaf in town, something you rarely find in Qatar. The mezzes and grills are consistently good as well. This place gets really packed during football season since they have large screens. The Centre, Salwa Road (4442 9944).

Edem 46They might have terrible coffee, but where else can you find authentic Turkish ice cream late at night? They have a cosy indoor seating area and really pretty outdoors, with multi-coloured striped umbrellas hanging from the roof. They have every imaginable flavour of ice cream, and lots of other desserts too. They’re pretty good (and safe), as long as you stick to the sweet stuff here. Al Sadd (4444 0194).

La BocaThey have the best food, ambience and shisha. This little restaurant on the main streets of Souq Waqif has a colourful, calm décor and is one of the best places to people-watch. Almost every item on their menu tastes good, especially the appetisers. The beef empanadas and avocado hummus are delicious. The later you go, the lesser you’ll find available, but they can always whip up a pizza (or three) at any time. Next to Souq Waqif Art Centre, Souq Waqif (no number).

Eli France CaféThis place isn’t exactly budget-friendly but you will appreciate the vast selection of items on the menu. They have literally everything! Breakfasts, crêpes, snacks, sandwiches… you name it. The restaurant is cosy enough, and they have sufficient parking. Eli France may be exactly where you need to go if you are the kind of person who has no clue what you want, and want to be inspired by a really long, frankly confusing menu. Near Mitsubishi showroom, Salwa Road (4435 7111).

Chapati & KarakA QR2 chapati and QR3 karak sounds like just what we want to feature on our late night snacking wishlist. But add to this the beauty of a location like Katara and we have a winner. They have a really simple, basic menu with chapatis, all the popular teas and a karak shake if you are into that. The place is usually crowded, especially on weekends, but you can always catch a chai for the road. Hikma Street, Katara Cultural Village (4408 1408).

Karak MqanesSome of their outlets are takeaway only, but the quality that comes out of this tiny place is surprising. They do excellent breakfasts – varieties of eggs (including eggs benedict), traditional items like shakshouka and foul, international dishes like croque monsieur, keema, pancakes, waffles, and chicken sausages. You can even do a simple cheese chapati with karak. Whether you are a late bird or not, this place should be on your must-try list. Muaither and Barzan Souq (3383 6333).